Speed Channel's Bullrun Cast Interview - Altered Reality

Team Strange Rains Hellfire On The New Season Of Bull Run

VM: What does Bullrun look for in its contestants?AD: Great question. The show is cast based on contestant first and car second, though we do our best to get a good cross section of the automotive world. We expect drivers to be prepared to bring it-really bring it. Drivers who got on Season Two were expected to really think about Season One and what they would have done across those 10 episodes to win the show. Whom would they have helped, whom would they have turned against, when, and why? It's easy to sit at home, watch the episodes, and think, I can beat that guy, but it all changes when you're in the field, and it's so much tougher than people think.

At home, you're just watching a 60-minute TV episode. The guys actually in the show had to endure two days, about 400 miles, a challenge, an elimination, and a ton of stress to create those 60 minutes. So it goes without saying that we need interesting personalities, and we're not really interested in anyone who just claims to be the best and has nothing to back it up (you'd be amazed how many people do this). We're interested in people who have really thought about it and will do anything to win-within legal limits, of course. After all that, then we look at what they're driving.

VM: What does Bullrun look for in its cars?AD: It really differs all the time. One thing we've never been are car snobs, either in the TV show or the live event. As the show is driver-led, we look for cars and drivers that represent a specific element and attitude within existing car cultures. The cars don't need to be amazing, one-off models. We also have stock, spec vehicles in the show. The most important thing is that the audience at home can connect with the type of team in the car and the piece of car culture it represents.

3/16

VM: How many entries did the show have this year?AD: We had more than 10,000 applications through our website.

VM: Of these, how many were Corvettes?AD: I couldn't tell you offhand, but it was in the hundreds.

VM: Why did you choose the TeamStrange Corvette for Season Two?AD: They're a very interesting team, and the car isn't a new model. It's also stock, apart from the doors, which we liked a lot. We're familiar with the Corvette, and we were pretty sure the stock car would still perform well against the best of the cars in the field.

VM: What impressed you about the team?AD: Elvis Strange and Steve McCabe are very interesting guys, and we thought they would be great for TV. The way they look means some people don't take them seriously, [but] they're actually very determined individuals who want to win badly.

4/16

VM: What types of challenges was the Corvette put through during competition?AD: You name it, those guys did it-driving on and off a rolling trailer, a relay that involved a slalom course, drag racing, and much more.

VM: Were any of the challenges designed specifically with the Corvette in mind?AD: No, we actually have to devise the challenges well in advance of casting. It's a very complicated process from the inception of the original challenge idea, to finding the location for the challenge, and then having it signed off for risk and insurance purposes. One thing we're always trying to do in the challenges is devise them in such a way that they equalize the different types of cars. Ultimately, the cars that perform best are the ones their drivers know inside out and handle the best. It rarely comes down to whether the car is the best performer.

VM: What do you think about a Corvette-only version of Bullrun?AD: Yep, why not? We could then devise challenges specific to the Corvette and make it really tough.

VM: When will the show air, and where can people learn more about it?AD: The home of everything Bullrun is always www.bullrun.com. The show starts airing on SPEED February 19 for 10 weeks, and you can also check out www.speedtv.com for info and clips on the show and our Bullrun page at www.streetfire.net.

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